


Room to Grow

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s05e20 No Exit, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-03
Updated: 2006-04-03
Packaged: 2019-05-15 13:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14791365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Post-EpNo Exit





	Room to Grow

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Room to Grow**

**by:** Willynilly 

**Character(s):** Josh, Donna  
**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
**Category(s):** Post-Ep _No Exit_  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine.  
**Spoiler:** "No Exit"  
**Author's Note:** Another unfinished piece I found and finished up, it's kind of interesting considering where the show went from this episode. 

The Next Day 

"Good Morning Donnatella," Josh breezed into the West Wing. 

"Good morning," she replied as she read the paper. 

"How was your lock down last evening?" he asked as he took the proffered messages from her outstretched hand. 

"Well, I wasn't forced to shower so better than Charlie's," she answered without a smile. 

"At least you had CJ to keep you company, I had Commander Boring with me," Josh failed to notice the lack of joy in Donna's eyes at the mention of CJ. 

"I guess," she mumbled as she sipped her coffee. 

"You need to pull someone from the pool and prep them before you head to Israel." 

"OK," she continued reading the paper. 

"Donna, you OK?" Josh asked cautiously. 

"Sure, fine," she answered without looking at him. 

"You sure got out of here quick last night. I looked for you as soon as the lock down was lifted." 

"You mean you yelled for me," Donna looked up sharply. 

"You heard me?" 

Donna just continued to stare at him. The stare unnerved him and he decided to drop the subject, moving toward his office. Donna wasn't ready to drop it though, so she followed him. 

"Do you really want to know how my lock down was? I spent the 45 minutes being harassed by CJ about why exactly I haven't tried to find a better job and why I haven't had a boyfriend and…" 

"You've had plenty of boyfriends, they've been idiots, but you've had them," Josh interrupted. 

"That right there, why do you… aagh, why God do you care who I date?" Donna sighed and leaned back against the closed door of the office. 

Josh took a moment to look at her, she was tired, worn out really. It was Sunday so she had on casual khaki pants and a plain red shirt, tucked in and neat, but she looked ragged. 

"I'm just saying you've had boyfriends," Josh avoided answering the actual question. 

"Did you know that I bumped Jack from the CODEL and that basically I am going to be a glorified copy girl?" 

"You'll have 4 assistants in Gaza, you'll be sitting in on the talks and reporting back to Toby and I," Josh defended. 

"So what is Admiral Fitzwallace doing?" 

"Reporting back to the President and Leo. What's going on Donna? Don't you want to go? I thought you wanted to do more," Josh shrugged. 

"I do. I just, God I don't know what I want any more..," she was about to say more when there was a knock at the door. 

Donna composed herself and turned to open the door. It was CJ and Donna stepped aside to let her in and then departed as if her hair had suddenly caught fire. The two women exchanged no words. 

"Ron Butterfield just came to see me," CJ started to brief Josh on the press release regarding the lock down, but Josh's eyes were glued to Donna's back as she walked down the hall. 

"You have to let her go Josh, she's not a security blanket," CJ finally gave up on the Secret Service brief. 

"Mind your own business CJ." 

"This is my business," she stood her ground. 

"It's really not," Josh took a copy of the brief and sat to read it, silently dismissing CJ. 

****************** 

Josh found her in the Mess, her eyes focused on the bottom of an empty coffee cup. 

"Want some more?" he offered her more coffee from the pot in his hand. 

"Sure," she smiled despite herself. 

"You are much more of an asset on this trip than Jack. If I just wanted to throw you a bone Donna I'd have gotten you on the Belgium trip, but this is important, this is crucial," Josh looked into his own cup for assurance. 

"Was I on a short list for Mrs. Landingham's job?" she asked out of the blue. 

"Yes." 

"Did you prevent me from getting that job?" 

"No." 

"Who did?I never even got an interview." 

"Donna if you got that job you never would have had an opportunity to do more, it would have been a demotion for you." 

"I know that and I'm not saying I wanted the job. I just wonder how many things I could be doing in the West Wing besides being your assistant," Donna shrugged. 

"Have I offended you somehow? I mean I know we joke and we banter, but have I seriously made you feel like less than you are to me or to the job?" 

"Why is it two different things?" 

"Huh?" Josh asked truly puzzled. 

"Why am I both 'something' to the job and 'something' to you? Shouldn't I just be about the job?" Donna's well-manicured nails fiddled with the handle of her coffee cup. 

"We're different Donna," Josh answered honestly. 

"I know that and apparently so does CJ and she sees it as somehow pathetic of me to follow you around as I do. That's why I left last night, when you yelled for me, other people notice it Josh." 

"She told me I treat you like a security blanket," Josh laughed. 

"She thinks I have the intellect and self-respect of a blanket as well," Donna spat. 

"No she doesn't Donna, CJ thinks very highly of you. She thinks you should have better than me to chase around all day." 

"When I say I want to do more, to contribute more, I mean with you. You know that right? That I want to grow in THIS job? I'm not lobbying for liaison to whatever for the thing," Donna indicated randomly with her hand. 

"Yes, I know that and I could do better to find more for you to do. I think the bigger problem is no one ever tells you when your contributions are vital to our successes and that's my fault." 

"I'm sorry, did Josh Lyman just admit fault?" 

"There is no one here to back you up if you repeat that," he smiled. 

It took a moment but Donna returned the smile and pushed her coffee cup toward Josh. He took a sip and pushed it back. 

"We're not done with this Josh, when I come back from Gaza we are going to sit down and discuss my job, if there isn't more for me to do here maybe I should move on…" 

"We'll find something," Josh quickly interrupted. 

"You know I can leave the job and not leave you right? You know you're stuck with me Joshua, right?" she grinned and stood up, returning to work without another word. 

The End 


End file.
